A cyclist has died in hospital following an accident on Friday. The 32-year-old man, from Waterford, was cycling near Stradbally when he was in a collision with a car.

Gardai at Kilmacthomas are investigating the incident, which occurred at 6.50pm at Ballyvoile, Stradbally.

The victim was rushed to University Hospital in Waterford but was pronounced dead a short time later.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses and have urged them to contact Kilmacthomas Garda Station on 051 295 630 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

MAN KILLED AFTER FALL INTO SLURRY TANK

A 37-YEAR-OLD father of two has died after falling into a slurry tank on a farm in Cahermuchee, Kealkill, Co Cork, on Friday evening at around 5.30pm.

The man had been working on the farm when he fell into the tank and was overcome by fumes. The man's father was with him at the time and tried to pull him from the tank – but he too began to succumb to the fumes and was unable to rescue his son. He then raised the alarm.

Emergency services rushed him to Cork University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

THE dry weather is set to continue for the next few days and there will be plenty of sunshine.

Met Eireann forecaster David Rogers explained: "Like most of the country, there will be variable cloud cover over Leinster, but it's going to stay dry for the weekend."

Other parts of the country can look forward to similar conditions, with the best of the sunshine expected for the south of the country.

Temperatures will be highest in parts of the south and southeast, reaching between 21 and 23 degrees.

Tomorrow and Tuesday will remain dry, but from Wednesday onwards there will be a risk of showers.

"We'll probably be looking at a change of rain in the middle of next week, where falling pressure will increase cloud cover across the country," Mr Rogers said.

MISSING TEEN SOUGHT SINCE THURSDAY

GARDAI at Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, are appealing to the public for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 16-year-old Niamh Berry, from Ballyfermot Parade, who was last seen in the Cherryorchard area of Dublin last Thursday at approximately 9pm.

Niamh is described as being 5' 7" in height and of slim build, with blue eyes and long brown hair. When last seen she was wearing a blue strappy top with 'Keep Calm' on the front, grey tracksuit bottoms and brown boots.

Anyone with information should call Ballyfermot Garda Station 01 666 7200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

LIGHT AIRCRAFT CRASH-LANDS IN FIELD

A light aircraft with five people on board crash-landed shortly after take-off in Co Longford yesterday.

The Cessna was taking four people for a parachute jump but lost power shortly after it took off from Abbeyshrule airfield. It landed in a field about three miles west of the village. No one was hurt.

MARINE EQUIPMENT ROBBERS RE-APPEAR

THE organised robbers who have stolen millions of euro worth of outboard engines and other marine equipment over the past five years are back again this year.

The gang stole seven outboard engines worth around €25,000 from the National Rowing Centre at Inniscarra Lake in Cork last month.They have also been targeting marinas along the Shannon.

Gardai believe the gangs gather engines and equipment at a central location for shipping to Eastern Europe.

IRELAND'S POOR RECORD FOR REFUGEES

Ireland is at the bottom of the league of EU countries granting asylum for refugees, including those escaping the crisis in Syria.

Figures released last week by EU agency Eurostat show that Ireland is far beneath even Malta, with a population of just over 500,000, in granting refugee status to asylum-seekers. Ireland accepted only 40 Syrian refugees last year.

By contrast, Denmark, with a population similar to ours, accepted 3,360 refugees. The total granted refugee status here in 2013 was 205. Little Malta took 1,610 refugees.

QUEEN TO VISIT GAME OF THRONES STUDIO

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh will tomorrow tour the giant studio facility used to film the hit TV series Game of Thrones in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.

The show has proved a massive boon to Belfast's economy, bringing in £87m over its four seasons. One of the biggest TV productions in Europe, Game of Thrones has created 900 full-time and 5,700 part-time jobs.

With many scenes shot in the North it has spawned a tourist industry offering fans the chance to see the "real Westeros", from the Stormlands, filmed in Cushendun Caves in Antrim, to Riverrun, at River Quoile, Co Down.

TEENAGER BADLY INJURED IN CHAIN ATTACK

A TEENAGER was seriously injured when he was set upon by a gang in the Crumlin area of Dublin.

The 16-year-old victim was attacked with a chain by a gang on Clonmacnoise Road at 10pm on Wednesday. He was left bleeding profusely from facial injuries and was treated at the scene by an off-duty paramedic.

The boy was rushed to St James's Hospital with a broken jaw, facial lacerations and other injuries. However it is understood the youth, who is from the south inner city, has decided not to make a complaint to gardai.

"It was just horrendous," one local said.

Witnesses are asked to contact Crumlin Garda Station.

POWER SWAP IN TAOISEACH'S HEARTLAND

SINN Fein is now sharing power with Fine Gael in the Taoiseach's own Mayo backyard.

After a political trouncing in the local elections, which saw FG being chased out of office in all other districts in Mayo Co Council, Enda Kenny's party needed the support of Sinn Fein councillor Gerry Murray to secure the chairpersonship of the Claremorris Municipal Council.

In return, Fine Gael supported the election of the SF councillor to the vice chairman's role.

EVENT CELEBRATES LIFE OF GIFTED CYCLIST

AN EVENT celebrating the life and career of one of Ireland's most promising cyclists, who died tragically 10 years ago, will be held in Co Clare today.

Kieran MacMahon, from Clonlara, Co Clare, considered an elite cyclist of national standing, died along with a colleague in a road traffic collision in 2004.

Today, the southeast Clare village of Clonlara will host the first Kieran MacMahon Memorial Classic, organised by the MacMahon family and Kieran's cycling friends.

The course will run over 150km and has been selected as a serious challenge to all but the strongest riders.